Zoom vs. Prime Lenses - Part 1: Differences | Bergen County Photographer
Buying a lens is no easy task. Sometimes it is even harder than deciding on the camera itself, there are a lot of possibilities. One of the first decisions you can make is if you need a zoom lens or a prime lens. And as usual, it all depends on your needs and preferences.
What is prime lens? A prime lens is a lens with a fixed focal lens - fixed lens - meaning that you cannot change the focal length and the only way to get closer or farther away to your subject is by physically moving.
Aside from the magnification of the subject there are other factors we need to consider when we change the distance between the camera and the subject:
The compression effect. This refers to the apparent separation between the subject and the background.
The depth of field. The closer you are to your subject the narrower the depth of field.
Lens distortion. Which angle lens tends to distort the subject to some degree.
This means that moving back and forward with a prime lens is not the same as using a zoom lens.
What is a zoom lens? Zoom lenses have two specifications that represent the two extremes of the zoom range - e. g. 70-200 mm. The focal length varies from 70mm all the way to 200mm and everything in between. Some zoom lenses have a variable aperture. For example, f/3.5-5.6, the aperture varies from f/3.5 to f/5.6.
As usual knowing your equipment will help make the most of it. Now that we know the differences between zoom and prime lenses, next time I will talk about the advantages and disadvantages of prime lenses.